Seeing, feeling and exploring places and cultures of the world

Dvarapala: The Guardian Statue

Dvarapala is a guardian statue which can be found in many Hindu and Buddhist temples/holy sites. In Indonesian ancient temples, usually a pair of dvarapala statues guard the entrance to the temple. Traditionally they are portrayed as scary-looking creatures, holding a club and with fat belly.

Dvarapala can also be found in Hindu/Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia and India. However, the posture of dvarapala varies in every region, influenced by local culture and interpretation of how a dvarapala should look like. Below are typical dvarapala statues in Indonesia.

8 thoughts on “Dvarapala: The Guardian Statue”

Thanks Elle! You have to put Southeast Asia in your travel list then. Indonesia has some of the greatest temples in Southeast Asia. This year I’m going to Indochina region to see some other world famous temples, among other things.